Here’s a little late Friday fun for y’all. Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen has posted a fascinating interview with William Shatner, one of the only luminaries around where it’s not at an insult to play a clip of his work and ask if he was serious or not. The two of them have a great discussion about Shatner’s journey to finally being able to fully embrace his Star Trek legacy along with a fun tangent about the Esperanto-only movie Incubus. There’s also a clip from his new album of his spoken-word interpretation of David Bowie’s “Major Tom.”

On Friday, CNN’s American Morning aired an Ali Velshi interview with William Shatner, in which Shatner, famous for his role as Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek, brushed aside the idea that President Obama needed to be more like Kirk and less like Mr. Spock.

Before today, most of what the media knew about 2012 Republican candidate Jon Huntsman was that he seems to like the desert, motorcycles, and very weird campaign ads. That’s still most of what is known today, but at least his latest ad makes an attempt of assembling facts, and Rachel Maddow tonight made an attempt to find poetry in those words, complete with conga drum and oversized shades.

I blame you, everyone who watched $#*! My Dad Says last Thursday. After the William Shatner starring sitcom debuted to strong ratings, keeping a large amount of the lead in from Big Bang Theory, the network announced the development of a show based on the popular Twitter feed @shhdontellsteve. Clearly “popular Twitter feed” has replaced “washed up semi-celebs with drug problems” as the go to premise mine for television shows I can’t understand why otherwise rational people watch.

When CBS’ new series $#*! My Dad Says, a show already being called the best series based on a Twitter account and starring William Shatner ever, premieres tonight, some viewers are are going to have a hard time watching the Shatner-filled shenanigans. That’s because some DVRS are incapable of locating the show due to its unusual title. CBS has even been forced to release a guide on how to record it in these cases.

William Shatner (yes, that William Shatner) interviews one of the D.C. snipers Lee Boyd Malvo, the teacher in the student relationship that lasted Mary Kay Letourneau and more for his new Biography Channel show, Aftermath.

The next logical question – why? – is interesting: Shatner will look at the “aftermath” of media stars, past their moment in the spotlight.

The 2010 Winter Olympics came to a close, and judging by the very unscientific method of Twitter commentary insta-poll, the highlight of the event was the surprise appearance of William Shatner. The Canadian actor dropped some Canadian-centric bromides about the making love in a canoe, beer and other stuff lost on many of us who live south of the border. Such naked nationalism performed by anyone else would seem provincial and annoying, but not so with Shatner, who always knows how to simultaneously play a joke both sides of a joke – smart and base. Well played Shatner – and Canada!

Conan O’Brien‘s announcement that he would not host The Tonight Show any later than its established 11:35 pm slot has been praised for its jokes, burns and most of all, emotion. The show, he wrote, was still “in its infancy” after only seven months. But what of that time? We’ve collected seven of the best Tonight Show clips of the last seven months, featuring Sarah Palin, William Shatner, Bruno, the great state of New Jersey and more!

William Shatner‘s new television show premiers this Friday, and footage leaked makes us think that it has potential to be a very entertaining show — though we aren’t exactly clear it will entertaining in the way the producers meant for it to be. Nonetheless, the following clip demonstrates an animated discussion over health care with Rush Limbaugh that must be seen to be fully appreciated.

In much the same way he had done for Sarah Palin‘s speech in July, William Shatner appeared on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien Wednesday night to do a dramatic reading of an almost-member of Palin’s family: Levi Johnston.

Except it turned out to be a fake, and last night Shatner was back to correct the record.

If you didn’t initially fully comprehend Sarah Palin‘s farewell speech on Sunday, maybe it’s because you weren’t thinking about it in its proper context.

Thankfully, Conan O’Brien invited Emmy-winning actor William Shatner, and his poetry skills, to break it down for you.

Enjoy this clip from last night’s Tonight Show.